Bonnie Saul Wilks

A Confession…

This photo was taken at the English Teapot Cafe in Agios Georgious village in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus. I love the way it turned out–not so much for its photographic composition or execution, rather for its meaning and memory.

We were with dear friends from Israel, sitting on the veranda of the restaurant. The wind was chilly, so we bundled up tighter and enjoyed our warm drinks: cappuccinos around the table, except for Joe who had a straight Turkish coffee without sugar. Later we were thirsty and ordered water.

The view of the mountains took our breath away, the quaintness of the village below was charming, and the conversation flowed with ease and warmth. I relished the moment then, and I relish it now again as I am writing this…

I love the “hammered” pattern on this glass.

I love hammered metals. My wedding ring is hammered gold and silver. I have several metal hammered belts, and my set of everyday stainless-steel utensils are hammered. I think it is a beautiful art form–an ancient art form, even described in the Bible.

Well this is the first time I had ever seen “hammered” glass. Of course, it is not pounded in reality, but it quite similar in pattern. At the time, I loved this glass more than the water inside. I was captivated by it.

Sometimes, I am a little crazy that way. No cracks.

And I have a confession to make: Through the years, I have been one who has seen the glass of life half empty rather than half full. This is a huge flaw in my basic personality, and I must discipline myself for this. When I say discipline, I mean that I must count my blessings one by one; because I think that when a person like me sees the glass half empty, that is a basic problem with lack of gratefulness.

When that feeling overtakes me, I stir up thankfulness. It does me so much good to stop and rejoice over the blessings and challenges of my life. A gratitude check improves my view of life.

But when I saw this particular glass, I was glad that it was half empty. The beauty of the glass itself is obscured when the water fills the glass completely. In the photo, you can see for yourself that top half of the glass is more stunning than the bottom half that is full. In reality, the glass is more beautiful empty; and if it had been full, perhaps I would have missed its artistic qualities.

Now I know there is a some parallel to life here somewhere… locked within the half-empty, hammered glass… but today, I am not digging too deeply… I am grateful for the beauty of this half-empty glass.

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4 thoughts on “A Confession…”

Bonnie:
I too have struggled my whole life with the half empty scenario that you have described. Fortunately, in God’s providence, He has surrounded me, for the most part, with people who are half full types. And, yes, I too catch myself when I am this way, knowing that God wants better from me, not as a demanding God, but that I might be a better vessel to convey His character through my words and actions to the world around me.
I so want to be seen as I am, as a follower of Yeshua Jesus, and I know that my half empty times prevent that from happening.

I realize my weakest moments are when I am tired and/or frustrated with juggling hats. And though it is no excuse, I grew up in a definitely half empty family. My patterning wasn’t great in this area, yet by God’s grace I have been able to overcome other such legacy issues with HIS victory.

Usually each time I see myself in such fashion, I quickly pray to the Lord to help me see as He sees, without the weakness of frail humanity and sin, through the eyes of “Eternity”, and realize that there is ALWAYS more to a situation than what I perceive or FEEL.

Sometime I have really hurt people with such an attitude. Though I can never take away the spoken words, asking for forgiveness brings release and healing – one of the great gifts God has given us to help us deal with our human flaws.

Thanks, Bruce, for your transparent comment. I think many people will relate to your words. Thanks for stopping by. I bet you are counting the days until you are home again… well, we will be eager to see you all in the spring…

"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." (Proverbs 4:8 NIV)

About this Blog

I have been blogging here since 2007. Not everyday, but certainly every day that I just felt like my heart would burst if I didn't write. Over the years, I have had a few facelifts and makeovers here on the structure of this happy spot that I call my blog home; but the heart and core of my writing has remained the same. You will find a plethora of subjects from art to politics, devotionals to poetry.

Currently, "Ever-Increasing Light" is highlighting Jewish sabbaths, feasts, and themes in devotional form. Having worked with Jewish people around the world and with Holocaust survivors, I relish sharing biblical foundations about Jewish culture, traditions, and human interest stories.

“Sabbath: A Gift of Time”

The most common question I am asked about Jewish traditions is the Sabbath. "Sabbath: A Gift of Time" is a primer that I have written for those who are interested in a simple history, biblical explanation, and overview of the gift of rest offered through Sabbath observance. There is included a Sabbath liturgy guide for Friday evening meal and Sabbath recipes, including the special braided bread "challah." Available on Amazon and everywhere.

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